An African Card for African Journeys: Enabling Seamless Travel and Commerce with Verve
From boardrooms in Lagos to the commercial centres of Nairobi and Kampala, intra-African mobility is redefining the continent’s economic architecture. Enterprises are pursuing regional scale, entrepreneurs are unlocking new growth corridors, and commercial travel across African markets is increasing in both frequency and strategic importance. As this evolution advances, dependable and interoperable cross-border payment infrastructure has become a critical enabler of sustainable growth rather than a supplementary convenience.
Verve’s expansion into East Africa represents a considered and strategic response to these shifting dynamics. Purpose-built for African markets, Verve has established a robust domestic footprint grounded in regulatory compliance, institutional partnerships, and nuanced consumer understanding. The current phase of expansion extends this foundation beyond national boundaries, positioning Kenya and Uganda as the initial corridor within a broader continental integration strategy.
East Africa presents a compelling environment for advancing payment interoperability. Characterised by established banking institutions, progressive financial frameworks, and vibrant trade networks, the region provides a conducive setting for strengthening cross-border transaction capabilities and facilitating greater economic integration.
Issuing partnerships with FCMB, Union Bank, Jaiz Bank, Taj Bank, and Access Bank enable cardholders to transact securely and confidently across participating markets. On the acquiring side, collaborations with KCB, Equity Bank, and others, are reinforcing merchant acceptance across select outlets in Kenya and Uganda, thereby strengthening the operational infrastructure necessary to support seamless intra-African commerce.
Commenting on the significance of enabling seamless intra-African payments, Vincent Ogbunude, Managing Director of Verve International, stated:
“Effortless cross-border payments have evolved from a convenience into a critical foundation for African trade and economic integration. As entrepreneurs, traveler’s, and businesses extend their operations beyond national boundaries, Verve’s entry into East Africa creates tangible channels for regional commerce—driving growth and integrating African payment solutions seamlessly into the continent’s commercial corridors in a secure, dependable, and purpose-designed way.”
For travellers and business visitors, this advancement delivers operational continuity and confidence. Entrepreneurs from Nigeria and Uganda, as well as Verve cardholders in Kenya, can now use their Verve cards across Kenya Commercial Bank ATMs and POS terminals. Acceptance also extends to leading hospitality and lifestyle establishments, including The Carnivore Restaurant, Tamarind Hotels, Tamarind Dhow, Roast by Carnivore, Kengeles, and Social House; eliminating uncertainty around card acceptance. These integrations represent more than geographic expansion; they reflect the deliberate embedding of domestic payment infrastructure into regional commercial ecosystems.
Cherry Eromosele, Executive Vice President, Group Marketing and Corporate Communications at Interswitch Group, further noted:
“Our strategy has consistently centred on contextualising payments for African realities. By extending Verve’s trusted domestic infrastructure into East Africa, we are ensuring that consumers and businesses benefit from the same levels of convenience, security, and reliability they experience at home, now seamlessly across borders. This milestone underscores our commitment to building a truly interconnected African payments ecosystem, one in which the complexities of cross-border transactions are minimised, and the emphasis remains firmly on growth, opportunity, and seamless stakeholder experiences.”
Historically, cross-border card transactions within Africa have been largely facilitated through international payment schemes. Although effective in providing global connectivity, these systems were not originally architected around Africa’s settlement structures, currency environments, or intra-continental trade flows. This structural gap highlights the importance of developing complementary capabilities that are purpose-built for African markets.
Enhancing intra-African interoperability strengthens systemic resilience while aligning payment infrastructure more closely with regional economic realities. For merchants, wider acceptance unlocks access to an expanding base of regional consumers. For banks, it creates incremental transaction corridors and deepens institutional collaboration. For consumers, it simplifies cross-border spending and reinforces confidence in everyday transactions.
Verve’s cross border expansion into East Africa represents more than geographic growth; it signals the first phase in extending established domestic infrastructure into broader continental commerce. As trade and mobility intensify across Africa, payments architecture must evolve correspondingly, becoming more integrated, regionally attuned, and structurally adaptive.
